Atypical chemokine receptors in renal inflammation.

ABSTRACT

Chemokines are structurally related proteins which form a large family of chemotactic cytokines. They provide a general communication system for cells and regulate lymphocyte migration. These proteins orchestrate the formation of microenvironments in lymphoid tissue, promote lymphoid organogenesis and help foster vascular and lymphatic angiogenesis. In addition to the classical G protein-coupled chemokine receptors, many chemokines also bind to a family of nonsignaling proteins, now called interceptors (chemokine-internalizing proteins). Here we summarize recent data on the role of interceptors in chemokine biology with a focus on renal inflammation.